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This project is an attempt to synthesize my experience teaching preparatory English in San Quentin State Prison, while enrolled in English 701: Theoretical Backgrounds in Community College Reading at San Francisco State University.
Under the presumption that literacy can lead to empowerment, the information included here discusses my integration of what I’ve learned in English 701 into the preparatory English class, which I refer to here as “English 99B”, that I teach at San Quentin. In doing so, I propose that student learning improves when students are given the tools with which to relate the texts from class to their lived experiences.
Content is as follows:
- What’s it like, teaching in prison? How teaching in prison is (mostly) the same as teaching in any other classroom.
- The guys in blue. A brief description of students at San Quentin, with samples of student work and links to other media (and a few sobering, yet necessary, statistics.)
- Sure, theory is nice, but what am I supposed to do on Monday morning? How I integrated material and tools from English 701 into my lesson plans at San Quentin.
- …It’s complicated An attempt at explaining the social and ethical complications that occur as a (white, female) teacher in prison.
- On being a failed student, teaching My own educational background (it wasn’t always pretty).
- Sources
Alex Naeve 
